The benefits of water..and lots of it!

I’m always telling my patients to drink lots of water after their massage treatment and during their day-to-day lives.

Here’s why:

Your body tends to build up metabolic wastes and toxins.  These are the bi-products of each metabolic reaction that takes place every moment in your body, such as the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide in your lungs or the production of lactic acid in your muscles during exercise. These waste products get trapped and deposited in-between areas of soft tissue.  Massage helps to manually push these wastes and toxins into the blood stream and lymphatic system where they will be eliminated by the body, or converted into usable elements.  Drinking water in turn, aids in the flushing of most of these wastes out of your body by transporting them to the liver and kidneys for disposal.  If you don’t drink enough water, there is a possibility that you could have a negative reaction from all the toxins now in your blood stream from your massage, such as a headache.

10 More Reasons to Drink Water:

1. Water can prevent and alleviate headaches
2. Water leads to overall greater health by flushing out wastes and bacteria that can cause disease.
3. For a majority of sufferers, drinking water can significantly reduce joint and/or back pain because water is the main lubricant in joint spaces.
4. Water leads to increased energy levels.  The most common cause of daytime fatigue is actually mild dehydration.
5. Water helps to maintain healthy body weight by increasing metabolic regulation and appetite.
6. Water naturally moisturizes the skin and ensures proper cellular formation underneath layers of skin to give it a healthy, glowing appearance.
7. Water aids in the the digestion process and prevents constipation.
8. Water is the primary mode of transportation for all nutrients in the body and is essential for proper circulation.
9. Water helps to combat depression because it is directly needed for efficient manufacture of all neurotransmitters, including serotonin (regulator of mood).
10. Water helps improve sleep because it is needed in the production of all hormones made by the brain, including melatonin (a critical factor in sleep regulation).

Water is critical in every function in the body, so make sure you drink enough!  Follow this link to find out how much water your body needs:

http://www.calculatorslive.com/Daily-Water-Intake-Calculator.aspx


References:
www.allaboutwater.com
F.Batmanghelidj, M.D. “Your Not Sick, You’re Thirsty!”